Chapter 38: Talk no Jutsu
Moonlight veiled the land like a silver curtain. A pink-haired girl stood tall atop a tree, her back facing the moon. Her emerald eyes silently watched the blond-haired boy below.
"Naruto."
Her cool voice echoed through the stillness of the night, causing Naruto to instinctively take a step back.
Sakura frowned slightly at the sight.
She had just returned to the village from a mission when she was summoned by Hiruzen Sarutobi himself. The Third Hokage had told her that Naruto had been deceived by Mizuki and had stolen the Scroll of Seals. Her orders: retrieve the scroll and, if possible, apprehend Mizuki.
Strangely, the old man hadn't said a word about what to do with Naruto.
What else could she do? Raise him properly, of course.
"N-Naruto…" Sakura called softly.
The blond boy looked up, his eyes wide. His throat went dry as he saw the figure standing on the tree branch, bathed in moonlight.
He wanted to run.
But before he could even move, that pink blur suddenly appeared in front of him.
He hadn't even seen her move.
"You've gotten quite bold while I was away, haven't you?"
Her words rang softly beside his ear. Naruto clenched his teeth.
Summoning his courage, he looked up, anger flaring in his eyes. "Sakura!"
"I'm listening."
Her calm, unbothered expression felt like a punch into a pile of cotton. It made him feel utterly powerless, like all his fire had nowhere to go.
"Mi-Mizuki-sensei said… that you… you only got close to me because…"
"Because what?"
Sakura's voice cut through his stuttering like a kunai. Her emerald eyes locked onto Naruto's face.
"Are you really going to believe just anyone who says something bad about me?"
Naruto froze.
Her voice was steady. But it pierced deeper than any shuriken.
He felt like he had done something terribly wrong.
"N-no… it's not like that… I didn't mean…"
Sakura gave a soft smile and raised her hand, gently ruffling his spiky blond hair just like she always used to.
"Don't you remember what I told you back then?"
"It was Iruka-sensei who asked me to talk to you."
"Idiot."
Naruto's eyes widened.
That's right… She had told him that already, that day. Sakura had never lied. It was Iruka-sensei who had sent her to reach out to him.
Mizuki had been lying.
He had doubted Sakura because of that man's words…
Naruto lowered his head in shame. And just then, a figure emerged from the forest behind them.
Clad in the standard Konoha flak jacket, with blue hair and a smug grin on his face—it was Mizuki.
"Naruto! Hurry up and give—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Like a drowning man suddenly being choked further underwater, his arrogance froze on his face the moment his eyes landed on Sakura.
His face turned pale, then green, then white again.
"It's you… Sakura…"
"I didn't expect you to be here."
His black eyes flicked left and right, frantically searching for a way to escape.
But by now, members of ANBU's Seventh Division had already surrounded the area, cutting off all exits.
"Sakura… it's been a while," Mizuki said with forced calm. "You've certainly made a name for yourself while I was gone. I didn't think you'd be involved in this little incident."
Sakura stood beside Naruto, eyes calmly fixed on the man.
This man had once been her teacher for two years, but to her, that meant very little. She had long seen through him. Even back then, she'd merely played the part of a quiet student, waiting for the right time.
"Drop the act."
Mizuki's smile twisted into a snarl, all pretense of civility gone.
"You're no better than me! You're just using Naruto too!"
"What's the difference between you and me, huh?!"
"The Nine-Tailed Fox's power… It's enough to destroy this entire village!"
Sakura didn't interrupt. She let him ramble.
Beside her, Naruto's expression darkened further with every word. The usual smile that lit up his face was nowhere to be found. His fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"Everyone in the village knows Naruto's a demon fox!" Mizuki screamed, spittle flying from his lips. "They hate him! They all do! He's a curse upon this village!"
Sakura crossed her arms, her gaze fixed coldly on the raving man. She knew these words were meant to be Naruto's poison—and if she didn't neutralize it now, it would fester forever in his heart.
Where the hell is Iruka-sensei? she thought. You were supposed to show up by now!
"You're right," Sakura said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Mizuki blinked, stunned for a second, then his face lit up with mad hope.
Could it be? Had she switched sides?
She was Sarutobi's student, a known genius, and even though she was only twelve, she was already considered elite. Mizuki knew he couldn't defeat her—not alone.
But if she sympathized with him now, if he could sway her…
Driven by desperation, Mizuki completely lost his grip on reason.
But Sakura didn't even glance at him. Her eyes were on Naruto, who now stood with his head lowered.
"It's true, Naruto does have a fox sealed inside him," she said clearly.
Naruto jerked his head up in disbelief, eyes wide.
So… it's true?
He really was… the demon fox?
"But," Sakura continued, "to me, Naruto is a hero."
"A hero who used his own body to seal that fox."
"The ignorant villagers don't know the full story. All they see is the surface. They think Naruto is the Nine-Tails."
"But Naruto has been protecting the village in his own way all along. Protecting his friends…"
"And protecting me."
Naruto's blue eyes trembled as he stared at her. Words failed him.
"That was the decision of the Fourth Hokage. Naruto inherited his will."
"The Fourth believed that Naruto would one day protect this village—not just from threats, but by using the very power that once destroyed it."
"No matter how many hardships lay in his path…"
Sakura's voice grew softer as she pictured the man who was only ever shown in academy textbooks—the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze.
You really weren't the best father, she thought bitterly. Compared to your wife, you kind of dropped the ball.
When you're eventually reanimated by Edo Tensei, you'd better come thank me personally.
"Even if the road ahead is full of thorns and trials," she went on, "the Fourth Hokage always believed Naruto would endure and rise above them."
"And now… I believe that too."
Her emerald eyes opened again, now filled with fire and determination.
Even she had to admit—these words sounded a bit cringe. Like something straight out of a manga.
But this was the world of ninjas. A little drama went a long way. Especially when it came to Naruto.
"Shut up!" Mizuki roared. "He's a monster, nothing more!"
He reached behind him and hurled a massive shuriken with all his strength at Sakura.
CLANG!
Before it could reach her, the weapon was struck down in midair. A normal-sized shuriken sliced through the air at terrifying speed, grazing Mizuki's face and leaving a bloody line across his cheek before vanishing into the darkness of the woods.
Sakura's eyes gleamed with killing intent as she stepped forward.
Her voice was sharp and clear.
"Naruto."
"KILL HIM."
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End of Chapter 38